Trucks or other vehicles, such as sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), pickup trucks, or “utes,” often have a drop-down tailgate that provides access to a cargo area, such as a bed. Most tailgates have a closed or vertical orientation in which the tailgate is latched to the sides of the vehicle. When the latch is released, the tailgate may be lowered to a generally horizontal orientation to allow access to the bed. The tailgate may be supported in the horizontal orientation by one or more struts, bars, cables, or other supports.
Most tailgates provide only limited functionality. For example, a tailgate in the horizontal or open orientation may provide a stepping point for ingress and egress into and out of the bed or other cargo area. It may also provide support for objects extending beyond the cargo area.
Some existing tailgate designs attempt to add further utility to the tailgate by including workbenches, toolboxes, steps, ramps, or other storage or utility features in the tailgate. For example, a grill may be integrated into a tailgate. But design flaws in existing tailgate grills result in uneven heating, poor management of grease and food debris, and poor management of heat that results in an unacceptable risk of burns or damage to the host vehicle.